For the second year in a row, Virginia was honored with a Silver Shovel Award from Area Development magazine in the 5-10 million population category.

The award recognizes Virginia for its economic development achievements in creating new jobs and attracting new businesses and investment into the Commonwealth. Virginia previously won in 2006, 2009 and 2012.

Area Development, one of the leading site selection publications, has run this awards program for eight years. Each state submits 10 projects that broke ground in 2012, and the magazine uses weighted scores based on added jobs per capita, amount of investment, number of new facilities and industry diversity to select the winners.

The 10 outstanding projects that helped make Virginia a winner are as follows:

According to the magazine, “If there’s one word to describe Virginia, it could be ‘diverse.’ From an economic point of view, that’s a great thing. There’s growth to be found in many corners of the economy, and that bodes well for prosperity as well as for making it onto the Silver Shovels list.”

Virginia continues to garner accolades as a top state for businesses from leading institutions, including Forbes.com, CNBC, Pollina Corporate Real Estate and Site Selection magazine.

To learn how Virginia’s unique combination of assets has helped businesses succeed in the Commonwealth for more than 400 years, click here.

Amazon Web Services, a business unit within Amazon.com, announced plans to establish a new office in Fairfax County and create 500 new jobs.

The multi-million dollar investment is driven by increased demand for the company’s cloud services business. Amazon Web Services provides a low-cost technology infrastructure platform in the cloud for business, government and start-up customers in more than 190 countries across the globe.

The location in Fairfax County provides Amazon Web Services with close proximity to its government customers as well an extremely advanced IT workforce. Virginia has the highest concentration of technology workers according to Cyberstates 2011.

Amazon.com already has a strong presence in the Commonwealth. In 2011, the company announced it would establish two fulfillment centers in Central Virginia for a total investment of $135 million, creating more than 1,350 new jobs.

The company’s focus on providing cutting edge services for its customers is closely aligned with the innovative, pro-business environment in the Commonwealth. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Enterprising States 2013, Virginia is the No. 1 state in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) job concentration and has the No. 1 share of high-tech businesses. In addition, more than 50 percent of the world’s Internet traffic flows through the Commonwealth each day.

To learn why technology leaders like Accenture, CSC, General Dynamics, L-3 Communications, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Oracle and SAIC have all established operations in Virginia, click here.

Construction has begun on B2 Modular, the first of three residential towers that will make up the 15-building, 22-acre multi-use site called Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, N.Y.

B2 Modular will be the world’s tallest modular building at 32 stories, approximately 321 feet.

Virginia-based Banker Steel is currently fabricating the 930 modular steel frame components at its facility in Lynchburg. The steel chassis will then be shipped to the Brooklyn Navy Yard where sheetrock, electrical, plumbing, tile and countertops will be added before final delivery to the building site in downtown Brooklyn.

Banker Steel recently announced it would expand its Lynchburg facility by 45,000 square feet and hire 50 new employees to meet the demand.

It is estimated that 60 percent of construction will be completed off-site in a controlled environment, allowing for significant improvements in safety, efficiency, speed and ultimately costs. Off-site construction is also expected to reduce material waste and minimize the impact to the local community.

Banker Steel was selected for this project as it previously partnered with Forest City Ratner Companies, lead developer of Atlantic Yards. The company fabricated more than 10,000 tons of steel for the Barclays Center sports arena, anchor facility at Atlantic Yards and home of the NBA Brooklyn Nets.

Banker Steel’s work on B2 Modular illustrates the creativity and technical skill found in Virginia companies. To learn more about the innovative environment the Commonwealth offers, click here.

American Electric Power (AEP) recently qualified two business parks in the Commonwealth as prime locations ready for data center development—Roanoke County Center for Research and Technology and Wythe County Progress Park.

AEP operates in Virginia as Appalachian Power, and is one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S., serving more than 5 million customers and generating more than 38,000 MW of capacity.

Dominion has a similar program and has pre-certified six data center sites in Virginia—Low Moor Mine Site in Alleghany County, Hillcrest Industrial Park in Mecklenburg County, Roanoke River Regional Business Park in Mecklenburg County, Watkins Centre in Chesterfield County, Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County and White Oak Technology Park in Henrico County.

Most notable about these prequalified locations is their geographic diversity across the Commonwealth. In addition to “Data Center Alley” in Northern Virginia, AEP and Dominion have prequalified sites across Central, Southern and Western Virginia.

In its fourth annual Enterprising States study, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gave Virginia top marks in three out of six categories. Virginia was ranked No. 3 in Overall Innovation and Entrepreneurship, No. 5 in Overall Performance, and No. 5 in Overall Talent Pipeline.

This year’s theme, Getting Down to Small Business, focused on the importance of small businesses to lead the economic recovery, and looked at how states can implement policies to support entrepreneurs.

The study noted the importance of accelerator initiatives, economic gardening activities, business plan competitions, workforce development curricula and international trade programs—all of which Virginia does. Governor McDonnell’s 2012 Year of the Entrepreneur initiative and Virginia’s Business One Stop program received special recognition in the report.

Virginia was able to obtain a No. 3 ranking in Overall Innovation and Entrepreneurship due to its leadership in science and technology. According to the study, Virginia is the No. 1 state in STEM job concentration and has the No. 1 share of high-tech businesses.

The Commonwealth’s high standard of living and No.1 ranking in adjusted median family income helped Virginia to achieve a Top 5 spot in Overall Performance.

The report also noted Virginia’s well-educated workforce, including strong high school advanced placement scores, educational attainment, and higher education efficiency—all contributors to Virginia’s success in obtaining a Top 5 ranking in Overall Talent Pipeline.

These top rankings confirm Virginia’s position as a leading place for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Commonwealth recently received an “A” for its small business friendliness from The Kauffman Foundation and Thumbtack.com.

With March unemployment at 5.3 percent, the lowest number since December 2008, the Commonwealth’s focus on small business and job creation is yielding positive results. To learn why Virginia continues to be a great place to start a business, click here.

This April, Governor McDonnell led an economic development marketing mission to California and Asia along with members of his cabinet, VEDP, Virginia Tourism Corp., Virginia Port Authority and Virginia International Terminals, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The 16-day mission included meetings with companies in California looking to expand on the East Coast, as well as meetings with companies in China and Japan to discuss potential investment in the Commonwealth and trade opportunities with Virginia companies.

The trip has already yielded positive news, including announcements for two Virginia companies—Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. and JTI Leaf Services.

Hamilton Beach will soon be expanding sales of its household electric appliances in China. On April 22, Governor McDonnell attended the signing of a contract between Chinese distributor Yingli and Yihaodian, the fastest-growing integrated ecommerce company, to sell Hamilton Beach products in China.

Hamilton Beach is a current participant in VEDP’s award-winning Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. The program helps established Virginia companies increase international sales.

On April 23, JTI Leaf Services announced a $7.5 million investment to upgrade equipment at its facility in Danville, Va. Governor McDonnell met with officials from parent company Japan Tobacco while in Tokyo. Southern Virginia was selected for its rich history in tobacco production which includes an experienced workforce to support the industry.

Governor-led marketing missions provide a unique opportunity to promote Virginia’s pro-business story on the international stage, and the Governor’s presence can open doors at the highest levels to build relationships that win business for the Commonwealth.

To learn more about Virginia’s business strengths and why the Commonwealth remains the location of choice for growing global companies, click here.

Last week, Orbital Sciences completed the first launch of its Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

This first launch is a positive outcome of the public-private partnership between Orbital Sciences and the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA). The two have partnered since 2008 to develop and improve Pad 0A, the liquid-fuel-capable launch facility at MARS.

As a test flight, the purpose of this mission was to launch the Antares rocket and deliver a payload similar in mass to the Cygnus spacecraft into the Earth’s orbit. In addition, the mission also launched three smartphones into orbit to test them for use as satellites.

The test flight is the first of 10 Antares missions scheduled from MARS. Orbital Sciences will next perform a demonstration mission, followed by eight resupply missions, delivering cargo to the International Space Station.

As part of the new era of space exploration in the U.S., NASA is increasingly relying on corporate partners through its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. In December 2008, NASA awarded Orbital Sciences a $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract to complete the eight resupply missions.

Through MARS, Virginia offers one of only four commercial sites authorized by the FAA for orbital space launches. MARS provides safer and lower cost access to space with an ideal trajectory for earth orbit insertion.

The Commonwealth also improved its rank to No. 6 in the annual study. The Kauffman Foundation and Thumbtack.com surveyed more than 7,700 small business owners nationwide to obtain the results.

Virginia outshined its competition in the mid-Atlantic. In the category of overall friendliness, Virginia received an “A” while Maryland received a “C,” North Carolina received a “B+” and Tennessee received a “B+.”

Virginia also received “A’s” for its ease in starting a business, regulations, and training and networking programs.

“For the second year, Virginia set an outstanding example of providing a supportive environment for small business,” said Sander Daniels, co-founder of Thumbtack.com. “Our research with thousands of small businesses points to the importance of clear and consistent regulations and relevant training programs, and these are exactly the areas where Virginia excels.”

Another bright spot for the Commonwealth is Virginia Beach, which received an “A+” and was ranked the No. 2 city for overall friendliness and No. 1 city for ease in starting a business.

Entrepreneurs continue to start their businesses in the Commonwealth because Virginia offers an innovative environment combined with the right resources. To learn more about starting a business in Virginia click here.

On Thursday, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling attended a ceremony in Rockingham County to announce the expansion of The WhiteWave Foods Company’s Mount Crawford plant. The company plans to add a warehouse facility and machinery through a $69.8 million investment, creating 36 new jobs.

WhiteWave Foods is a leading producer of premium food and beverage products. This expansion will allow the company to meet growing demand for its Silk®, Horizon Organic®, International Delight® and LAND O LAKES® products, as well as improve plant efficiency.

The Mount Crawford plant has successfully operated in Virginia for 25 years and currently employs more than 400 skilled workers.

Virginia successfully competed against Texas for this project and was chosen for its strategic East Coast location and world-class workforce.

The company has invested more than $190 million in the Mount Crawford plant since the year 2000.

This expansion adds to the thriving food and beverage industry across the Shenandoah Valley region, which includes McKee Foods, Hershey Foods, Perdue, MillerCoors, and recently announced Shamrock Farms.

Food and beverage companies have invested more than $285 million and created 608 jobs in Virginia so far in 2013. These companies continue to choose the Commonwealth due to its premier location, transportation network, workforce, and low-cost operating environment.

To learn why more than 550 food and beverage companies have established operations in the Commonwealth, click here.

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling (center right) joins company and government officials at the WhiteWave Foods ribbon-cutting ceremony in Rockingham County, Va.

From an event at Greencore Groups’ facility in Stafford County, Governor McDonnell announced the company’s plans to invest $5.75 million and create 350 new jobs in the Fredericksburg region. This is the company’s first Virginia facility following its April 2012 acquisition of the former Marketfare Foods, LLC.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Greencore Group is a leading producer of convenience food and prepared meals, including fresh sandwiches, salads and pastas. Governor McDonnell met with company officials in Ireland during his July 2012 European Marketing Mission.

The expansion will allow Greencore to better serve Mid-Atlantic customers, as well as expand its footprint along the East Coast.

One reason Virginia was selected for this expansion was because of the company’s positive experience with its current workforce, as well as the ability to recruit from the talented labor pool in the region.

Another benefit Virginia provided to the company was access to high-quality produce through the Commonwealth’s rich agricultural supply. The Governor recently announced that Virginia’s agricultural exports reached an all-time high of $2.61 billion in 2012.

This announcement is part of a banner two-week period for Virginia’s food and beverage industry—the Commonwealth saw the creation of 615 new jobs and more than $181 million in capital investment from four projects in this thriving sector.

Governor McDonnell presents a grant from the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund to Bob Thomas, Vice Chairman, Stafford County Board of Supervisors, during Greencore Group’s expansion announcement in Stafford County, Va.

On Monday, the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) celebrated the grand opening of its 62,000-square-foot facility during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Governor McDonnell. The facility is located adjacent to the 1,000-acre Rolls-Royce Crosspointe Campus in Prince George County, Va.

CCAM brings together Virginia’s leading manufacturing companies and top educational institutions in order to expedite research and turn ideas into real-world technologies and solutions. The research center focuses on two areas—surface engineering and manufacturing systems.

In addition, the three founding universities are Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, and University of Virginia, which collectively have 50 students completing internships at CCAM.

The applied research center includes a 16,000-square-foot high bay area, five machining labs, five computational labs, a 3-D visualization lab, conference rooms, and open and modular workstations. CCAM is currently hiring and expects to have more than 100 employees made up of engineers, scientists and analysts.

According to Governor McDonnell, CCAM is a “one-of-a-kind asset.” The collaborative nature of the facility and its ability to bridge the gap between research and commercialization is expected to advance Virginia as a hub of advanced manufacturing.

To learn more about CCAM, visit www.ccam-va.com, and to find out more about Virginia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities across the Commonwealth, click here.

Governor McDonnell is joined (left to right) by Dr. Mike Beffel, CCAM Interim President & Executive Director, and Armand Lauzon, CCAM Board Chair, at the CCAM Grand Opening event in Prince George County, Va.

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About VEDP

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), a state authority created by the Virginia General Assembly to better serve those seeking a prime business location and increased trade opportunities, provides confidential site selection and international trade services. VEDP's mission: To enhance the quality of life and raise the standard of living for all Virginians, in collaboration with Virginia communities, through aggressive business recruitment, expansion assistance, and trade development, thereby expanding the tax base and creating higher-income employment opportunities.